Holiday in Devon & Cornwall - October/November 2004
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Photographs taken around Stoke Gabriel, Devon To see the pictures full screen just click on to them. To get back to this page click on 'Back' on the Status Bar.
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from Grockles to Emmets Friday 22nd October Left home at 1230 hours. Filled up with petrol at Melling's, just up the road, and went on to the Post Office for butter pies. Sue got one butter pie and two cheese and onion pasties. I ate the butter pie and then a pasty and Sue had the other pasty whilst she was driving. The lady in the Post Office had 'wrapped' them in a strong tissue to make them easier for Sue to hold and eat. It was a miserable day. Rain started early morning just as we started to load the car up. We hadn't packed the night before so we got up at 0600 hours to have time to get ready. The traffic was heavy on the motorway and slow moving when we got a few miles off the viaduct. Trudie text us a few times, she hates her job and the texts were welcome diversion for her or so I thought. Eventually we got over the bridge and started moving again. Slowed up again, there was an accident in the outer lane. Just as we reached the accident a white car pulled just as we were passing it! The driver was a lady and she had probably been stopped by the accident and was trying to get back into the traffic. She told us later that the car behind us had flashed to come out, we must have been in her blind spot. We were in the middle lane. She hit us on the rear wheel arch - good job it wasn't the wheel, might have turned us over. It sounded like the whole back end had been knocked off. Oh why did this have to happen to us and our lovely new car? It could have been worse, I suppose we were quite lucky really. Sue pulled over in front of the big dark van that was part of the accident, the car behind had run into it, the car's front end was badly damaged. I couldn't remember the car that hit us and decided that it had driven off without stopping. A white car then pulled in front of us and a lady got out. I was looking at the damage and muttering "we've only just got the car" and various other profanities. I was upset and hurt. The lady was quite concerned and looked at the damage with me. She said something had come off her car so I went to look for it. I found a piece but it wasn't off her car, it was off the van. Her car didn't appear to have any damage. Later it turned out that her indicator was hanging off, which she said she'd removed at the next turn off. I said it's dangerous here, we were in the outside lane only protected by the van, just give me your name, address and phone number. I then said lend me you pen, she'd torn a page out of her diary, and I wrote her registration number down on the piece of paper. We all drove off and we carried on with our journey, Sue said just think, the car could have been disabled and we could have been in hospital or worse. The lady, Hilary, had said she wouldn't be there, meaning the address she'd given me, until Monday, which didn't bother me at the time. I got in the car and thought I should give her our address but by the time I'd got round to fishing a card out of my wallet she was driving off. More delays further on but we got on to the M5 without any real delays once we'd passed Hilton Park Services. Sue pulled in at Franklin Services and we changed drivers after visiting the toilets. Everything went well until we neared the M4 junction when we were delayed again. We crawled, stop-starting, all the way until we were a couple of miles clear of the Avon bridge. The high winds had caused the closure of the old Severn bridge. Still miserable weather. It had stopped raining for a while but now it was pouring down again. I kept driving and we were ok until approaching Newton Abbot when we crawled along again. Later Dorothy said that she always went through Totnes and on to the Plymouth road, the A38. Arrived at Dorothy's at 1930 hours to a lovely warm welcome with lots of hugs. We went to bed early, just after 2200 hours. Saturday 23rd October We were up reasonably early and after breakfast went shopping to the local Morrison's store. It rained and rained and rained. After lunch we did the crosswords and word puzzle. The rain continued all day. Sunday 24th October The rain stopped at last. Sue and I walked down to the quay and along the shore to Mill Point. We sat on the bench and watched a commercial pleasure river cruiser appear from round Pighole Point, Dorothy had said they'd stopped running for the winter? It sailed close to the moorings, it was about two hours after low water, keeping close to the shore as it passed Mill Point. We walked back to the path and up to the 'cliff' top, walking through the trees to the point at Duncannon Reach. After a few moments watching the family of swans we walked up through the woods to Duncannon Lane and Rivermead. In the afternoon we walked down to the quay with Dorothy to see the water at High Tide. Before tea I watched the last F1 Grand Prix. After tea we watched Foyle's War and Honeysuckle Weeks. Got a text from Peter Squires to say the water skier would be refused entry to the sailing club - presumably agreed at the afternoon's committee meeting, glad I wasn't there. Monday 25th October Nicest day so far, at times clear blue skies and sunshine. Walked down to quay and got a newspaper on the way. Late afternoon walked down to quay again with Sue meaning to walk along the shore again and round to Duncannon.. The tide was coming in and we couldn't get past the slipway so we turned round and walked up the hill a little to the private road to go round the back of the houses and boat club. We walked round the cliff tops and heard the pleasure boat again but couldn't get a photograph of it because of the leaves, couldn't find a gap, Sue even ran (!) ahead to try to find one. When we got to the point we set off home. At the top of the hill Sue continued on to Dorothy's and I went down to Duncannon Quay and sat for a while, in the sun and with the water lapping at my feet, it was getting on for high tide, reading the paper we'd bought for Dorothy, The Times. Saw a couple of cruisers motoring down river. Dorothy and Sue had gone for fish and chips to the only shop Bill would have them from. I walked back up the hill and got home in time to have my two fish and mushy peas, Bill hates mushy peas! Tried to ring the driver of the white car but got the wrong number - I'd read a 0 for a 6. Eventually got through but it was engaged, did a ring back but when it eventually rang I got the answering machine so left a message. Tuesday 26th October Sue and Dorothy took Dorothy's car in for it's annual service and MOT. They carried on to the supermarkets to get some essential supplies. Sue tried to get Dorothy to go for a coffee afterwards but Dorothy was desperate to get back to Bill. I rang the driver again and left two messages on the answering machine. Had I got the right number? I was getting anxious by now, well I'd been anxious all along, worrying what to do, whether to make her pay for the repairs or not, decided not to, to forget all about it if she was willing to, that should please her as she'd admitted it was her fault. Sun shining again but more cloud and it felt cooler. Gales forecast for tomorrow! Sue and I walked up Duncannon Lane, we couldn't persuade Dorothy to come even if one of us stayed at home with Bill. We walked across the fields, down through the woods and on to the shore. We walked along the beach, well mud, stones and seaweed, until we could go no further and then scrambled up the bank, a 'path' I'd spotted yesterday, to the path round the edge of the cliffs. We walked along the path and down on to the beach. Sue went and sat on the quay while I walked out to Mill Point and then back to where she was waiting on the quay. We walked along the edge of the Mill Pool and up into the village where we had cream teas at Mrs G's. An elderly lady in the tea shop got talking to us about where we came from and it turned out she'd lived in Manchester and Sussex amongst other places although she'd lived in the village for over thirty years now. Her daughter sat patiently by, not joining in at all? We'd walked about one and three quarter miles. Wednesday 27th October High winds and rain! Sue and Dorothy went shopping for an hour. In the afternoon I went for a walk on my own, Sue's knee, which had swollen up yesterday, was a lot better but we decided she should rest and get well enough to walk with Daphne and Frank next week. Dorothy didn't want to come as it was raining. I did the same walk as I'd done with Sue yesterday and was surprised how high the water was. As I came down on to the beach at the quay I noticed that I couldn't get to the quay as the water was already up to the sailing club steps. I walked out to Mill Point and sat for a while than climbed back up the path and over the concession private road, you can use it when the tide's in, and back up School Hill to Rivermead. The weather was really bad. Gales from the south, low pressure and a spring tide. There were floods all along the coast. After tea we watched, amongst other things, Natural History of Britain. Thursday 28th October Dorothy rang the doctors and asked the nurse to come out and look at Bill's leg. I did my exercises and, after trying to persuade someone to walk with me I set off with Sue, who was just going down to the Post Office to get some postcards. I carried on down the hill and was surprised to see seaweed up to the new house! I walked across the dam, getting my feet wet as there was quite a lot of water still running over the top. It was more or less low water. I decided to walk through the woods as far as I could and then along the shore until it was time to set off back to get back for lunch at 1330 hours. It wasn't a bad day but it started to spit with rain as I rounded Pighole Point. I text the ladies as Sue was teaching Dorothy to text, quite successfully up to now. I managed to get almost to Ladies Quay before I had to turn back. This time I walked all the way along the shore and back over the dam. It was raining quite steadily now and blowing a bit too. After lunch I didn't feel too well so had a lay down on the couch. We wrote out a few postcards and I went upstairs for something just in time to see the nurse walking up the pathway to the front door. She had a good look at Bill's leg and put a dressing on it, covering the dressing with a stocking. We watched Trinny and Susannah in Dorothy's bedroom, Bill was watching James Bond in the front room. After tea I really didn't feel well. Problems down below? So I went up to bed for a lie down. Sue brought my book up and eventually I got into the rocking chair and read until I'd finished the book. Friday 29th October 2004 I had a bad night, collapsing onto the bed after my last visit to the loo. Fortunately then slept through to the morning. Sue rose first and washed and dressed. Then she prepared my Chinese medicine and brought it upstairs. Ann had failed to make Dorothy's cup of tea so Dorothy was up as well. Sue was concerned to let Daphne know whether we were staying a few more days or going home? I got up and, unbelievably, all appeared to be well. Washed and went downstairs for breakfast. Went back upstairs and laid down. Sue started to pack an eventually I joined in the fun. Gradually we filled up the bags and carried them downstairs. Dorothy wanted to help but Sue refused help as she wanted to do it all herself so that she knew where everything was, there wasn't really a lot to do as we hadn't unpacked completely. It was raining cats and dogs outside and we thought we'd never get the car loaded up but thankfully it stopped raining and everything went in quite easily. Dorothy made us all a cup of tea and we managed to get going by about 1200 hours. Text everyone that we'd left and Dorothy every time we passed a landmark, to give her plenty of practice. We had a good run down, surprisingly no hold ups at all arriving at Penvean at about 1400 hours. We were immediately impressed with the new drive, nice. Daphne made us a few sandwiches and after we'd had a general moan and chinwag Frank set off to the doctors for his prescription, taking Sue and Daphne with him to drop them off at Asda to stock up with provisions. I was tasked to get the computer working which surprise surprise I did. Don't know why, it just started to work after I'd switched it on and off and thumped it once or twice. It was now getting near teatime so Frank suggested he took me down to the docks an Pendennis Point to look at the boats, which he did. There didn't seem to be much activity and only one ship anchored out in the bay, very far out? By now the storm which had been terrorising the west country had abated. In the evening we watched a little TV and talked. Saturday 30th October Up OK and no deterioration in my condition. Had breakfast, attempted crosswords, Sue got a paper yesterday. We just about got ready before lunchtime and after several suggestions from Frank we decided on one, one not suggested, to please me, and that was to go to lunch at Trelissick and then walk round the garden, not really what Frank wanted to do. As we turned into the road at the end of which Trelissick stands I realised I'd left my National Trust membership card at Penvean! What a plonker. We had lunch, the waitresses were not all old and decrepit as Frank had warned, ours was quite dishy. Last time they came, only Monday, hence Frank's reluctance to come, the fact that he'd only just been, Frank had been sure he knew one of the older ones. She was adamant he didn't and he couldn't guess a place at which she worked. She came over to our table once and he promised not to bite her this time. We trooped towards the garden entrance where Frank and Daphne had already pointed out my plight while Sue and I were trying to find some money to pay for my entrance. However the gentleman, real gentleman, on the door allowed me in. Frank said he's even left his wallet at home to which the gentleman replied "He's not all that stupid after all". We enjoyed walking round the gardens, picking up and eating the odd apple from the orchard. It was a bright sunny day, the sun was lovely and warm when we were not in the shade. Arrived back home for tea, sandwiches, and afterwards got ready to go out dancing so that we could watch Strictly Come Dancing on the TV before we set off to the dance hall. I hoped it would get us in the mood. Didn't quite work, made me realised how inadequate my dancing was but it didn't put the others off. The nearer we got to the village hall, in Perannarworthal, the more apprehensive I got. We found four chairs together along the wall and it was several minutes before I got the courage to get up. In the end it turned into an enjoyable evening, the highlight of which was probably the progressive barn dance when we had to be brave and dance with other people. Sue seemed to really enjoy it and, as well as being the longest she'd ever danced with me, I think it was the best we'd ever danced together. Of course I'd forgotten everything I'd learned nearly fifty years ago but we managed our own steps to the music. On the way home Sue revealed that she could dance several old time dances! Sunday 31st October Up late, well late by BST standards, we were now back to Greenwich Mean Time or Universal Standard Time, to a misty morning however, after we'd breakfasted and washed, the sun was shining brilliantly. We got ready to go on the walk and when we set off the sun was hiding away somewhere, the original promise of a lovely day had faded away. We met up with the other walkers at Constantine and, after getting our boots on, listened to Sheila read out a few notices. Hazel, the leader, said she was surprised at the turnout and was concerned that we may take a long time, because of having to negotiate the stiles, our group was not noted for it's agility, and be out after dark. It turned out that Hazel had been out rambling all morning with friends, some of whom were accompanying us, must be very fit. We climbed up through the woods with the relaxing sound of the stream rushing way below us. Out of the woods and a couple of the party deviated for a few yards to look at a Cornish cross, point 1 on the map. Back on the path Hazel disappeared into the bushes, point 2, and her 'minder' said "She's gone to do what a lady has to do". I didn't think ladies did that sort of thing. When I asked could I do what a man has to do she was a bit shirty with me and said I must find my own place, which I did half and hour later, point 3. These walks are done to keep the footpaths open and apart from that and the exercise I couldn't think of any other reason for doing this one, not the parts of Cornwall that turn me on, just like farms back home, filthy and untidy, the countryside polluted by farm rubbish, rotting machinery, black polythene bags and rivers of slurry! It was about now that someone told us Carol had been voted out! Strictly Come Dancing. Really surprised, she was not a natural but some of the men and Ester were worse. Well over halfway, between Trevease Farm and the footbridge, point 4, we had to wade through a stream of mud and slurry, there was a concrete gully part of the way but some of the rest was over the ankles and of course I dropped my anorak in it! Frank and Norton climbed over the hedge and walked down the field but on reaching the bottom they entertained us with their attempts at getting back onto the path. Norton has spent most of his life in Germany, so much so that he and his wife watch German television now more than British television Still no sunshine although by now there was evidence of blue sky, but not where the sun was After several visits into the bushes we got back to the car only to find some white scratches on the rear nearside bumper, the one that was exposed to the traffic! After tea it was heartening to see that Bolton had won. Lloyd and Jaja will be pleased and Trudie should benefit. We watched Michael Palin on TV then after the news Match of the Day 2. Monday 1st November November already, I hope winter passes as quickly has this year has so far. After several 'discussions' we set out for Porthleven meaning to have lunch at the Ship Inn. Very disappointing when we got inside, after some minutes spent parking the car. The atmosphere was decidedly muggy with cigarette smoke which was affecting Daphne badly so we all willingly trooped out and drove round to the other side of the inner harbour, to where we'd been parked in the first place, and had lunch in the Harbour Side Inn, which we all enjoyed. I had a crab ploughman's but there was no cheese? Sue and Frank had ham, egg and chips, Daphne has a lasagne (?). We came out of the inn and Frank spotted two cyclists with 'Todmorden CC' on the back of their shirts. They were engaged in conversation and it turned out that they lived quite near to Judith! We walked to the end of the pier, we'd seen a seal near the entrance and was hoping to see it closer to when it surfaced again, which it did outside the harbour! On the way we'd watched a couple of Shags on the rocks below us at the side of the harbour. We wandered on to the sands and down to the calm sea, total contrast to a few days ago when we watched the waves breaking over the church on the television news. After a while, Daphne and Sue searching for interesting bits of sea shore, shells and stones I presume, we made our way back to the 'Nauti But Ice Coffee Shop' on the front and had tea and cakes. Sue wanted to buy some Christmas candles, which I didn't like and she eventually decided were too expensive. We went home where we were all too full to eat and Daphne got ready for nightschool, art classes. Tonight they were doing collages and she had to find a photo or picture of flower and bring suitable materials for use. Read a bit, watched the news then Mastermind and University Challenge, Frank showed that he was quite knowledgeable! Tuesday 2nd November Today John had planned that he should take Frank over the next weekend's walk, which he was down to lead, in case he got delayed filming. John is to be on set filming for a TV programme on Thursday and Friday but as these things go they may overrun into Saturday when the walk is scheduled to take place. It was forecast to be dry but we felt the odd spots of rain as we climbed into the car. John was waiting for us at Gwennap Church, trying to find the verger or vicar to check out Saturday's parking arrangements. John had an enlarged map, done on his computer, and he showed me the route which I transferred onto our map. Eric was last to arrive and once we'd all got our boots on we set off up the road to the path behind the church. See map, our walk is the solid red line. Eric had his posh wellies on and we wondered what was in store for us, Sunday still fresh in our minds. We climbed up gradually and only encountered one boggy bit which wasn't too difficult. It was trying to rain but we pressed on being entertained by Eric's chatter. He'd lived in Reading and knew people at the university where Denys had worked at the end of his career. Eric's a man of many parts, he finished his career in the diplomatic service in America! He'd got £10 bet on Kerry to win at six to one. We crossed a road and into the second field we encountered some cattle amongst which was a large bull. He didn't seem to be bothered and by the time he'd roused himself we were well clear but this didn't prevent some of our party being alarmed. Onto a road again, just in time, with the aid of our maps to give a light truck directions to Greensplat, crossroads - 1 on map. We eventually arrived at the pub at Frogpool, not halfway yet, and ordered our lunch. Some time later it arrived with only one hiccup and we all enjoyed our selections. Somewhat reluctantly we set off again into the unappetising afternoon. It wasn't as bad as we'd feared and after directing a car and new lorry to Perranwell, not bad for strangers, we were all either 'incomers' or emmets, found the path and started to climb again. There was activity all around us. We walked through a mown field with the tractor in the field alongside. Ahead of us another tractor was cutting the hedgerow. Trudging downhill again we encountered a ford, 2 on map, which Eric proudly walked through in his fancy boots, the rest of us electing to use the nearby footbridge. Up the hill to Sunny Corner, not much sun about today, and then started our walk home. Here we should have cut off across the fields to our right, point 3 on map - dotted line, but these footpaths had been closed because it was now a huge landfill site. A large concrete structure was rising from the ground, nuclear waste dump? At point 4 on map we elected to continue along the road and back to the cars and arrived unharmed, somewhat relieved that the walk was shorter than we'd anticipated. Saturday's walk would pfollow dotted trail. Home full of hope that the American people were rejecting George W Bush. Wednesday 3rd November Where to go today? Frank suggested Penzance or Hayle. I said Sue wouldn't like the smell of he seaweed and mudflats so we opted for Penzance. By the time we piled into the car it was lunch time so we discussed where to have lunch. We ended up in the Godolphin arms at Marizion. The cafe with the old dears waiting on, our original destination, was closed. We were given tables in the window and were able to see the tide receding from the causeway and a sole yachtsman, in/on an RS700? Come into land. St Michael's Mount was a little hazy. The sun, which was shining when we got out of bed had disappeared behind the clouds, still it wasn't raining. We drove on to Penzance and parked on the front just passed the Jubilee Pool, built in the 'thirties. We walked along the prom and Frank led us to the Penlee Museum and Exhibition Centre. Eric had recommended it to frank if he wanted to see some real paintings. Sadly three of the galleries were closed being prepared for a new exhibition to start next week. They allowed us in for half price, which for concessions was 50p! We wandered round, bought a postcard for Jaja and had tea and cakes. We returned back through the park, walking away from the car. By now it was drizzling but by the time we'd got as far from the car as possible it started to rain and then as we walked back along the front it became quit hard and we all got wet. We called at the Spar shop in Helston on the way home. Frank turned on the radio to find out that George W had been elected for another four years. Gloom and despond. We watched Trinny and Susannah and then The Natural History of the British Isles, which several of us slept through from time to time. And so to bed. Thursday 4th November We arose to glorious sunshine again, would it last until we got going? Yes! Daphne wanted to spend today catching up on her domestic chores, sadly it was to be the best day for the weather, the sun shone all day with the occasional cloud casting shadows. Frank suggested Trebah so we set off just before lunch arriving just in time to have something to eat before we entered the garden. Trebah has a nice dining room, part of the main building complex, partially financed by the Lottery Fund. I had soup and oatcakes, Sue and Frank had sandwiches. We entered the garden and walked along the top to the Koi pool and then gradually down to the beach, enjoying the warmth of he sun. I was determined to paddle convinced that the water would be warm. I was wrong, I couldn't even stay in for a few seconds while Sue took my picture. We sat in the sun for awhile and then wandered back up to the cafe again just in time for last orders. We had tea and cakes. By now we'd got into the habit of watching "Strictly Come Dancing 2" at 1830 hours each night. In the evening we went to St. Agnes Parish Church for a special service to remember the friends and loved ones that had died during the year. It was a lovely service and we were invited to light a candle for those we had lost. Daphne and Frank lit one for Auntie Babs and we each lit one remembering Sam Hardill, Auntie Babs, Vicki-Lynn Gardner, Anne Gates and Bob Bickley, Frank's nephew who we used to sail with. Daphne wrote Auntie Babs's name in the memorial book but we didn't think we should write our names in because they were all from different parishes. Auntie Babs lived in St. Agnes before she died. Friday 5th November Bonfire night but we had no plans to take part. Frank had to go to his pain management class in the morning and as we'd booked into the Hall of Cornwall for the ballet in the afternoon we arranged to meet at 1300 hours in the theatre foyer, planning that Daphne, Sue and I would wander round the shops in the morning. After driving round Gluvas car park for many minutes hoping to find a space we gave up and head for the Lemon Quay car park. We got into this without any trouble spotting a space on our left on level 3. To get into this space I had to drive the wrong way round the car park, which I did encouraged to do so by the ladies who had got a bit fed up with what they considered to be my ineptitude in the Gluvas car park. Having done this dodging in in front of another car which appeared on our left, travelling in the correct direction, we had a somewhat rude awakening as the driver of this car got out and proceeded to lecture us on all the sins we had committed. I started to move the car but she insisted we stayed where we where. Well as I knew very well we had done wrong I felt humiliated and. Sick. When we entered Marks and Spencer's I spotted an umbrella with a thin handle. Meanwhile the ladies, some ladies, had gone on ahead and were arguing with the other driver, who must have caught up with them, lying through their teeth as to what we had done. I said we're sorry, we were in the wrong and I fully understood by what she regarding that we could have caused an accident. It seems her poor mother had been injured by such an idiot as me previously. We picked up the tickets, checking that there were no returns of better seats and went about our shopping. We only had an hour before we had to meet Frank so we went straight to Millets to get the waterproofing for the boots and coat. We then spent some time in a bookshop on the way back. We met Frank and had a snack in the theatre cafe, soup for Daphne and I and sandwiches for the other two. Daphne did the Daily Mail crossword and I did the Telegraph crossword, the quick ones, in the papers provided for the diners. We thoroughly enjoyed the ballet. We met up in Sainsbury's cafe for tea and arrived home, after some last minute shopping for provisions, just in time to catch the last ten minutes of SCD2. Spent a few minutes in the upstairs room watching the fireworks in Falmouth and Penryn. What to do tomorrow? Sue and I were a bit reluctant to go on the walk again, particularly the thought of twenty or so people queuing for lunch at the pub, Sue wasn't keen on meeting the bull again either. I couldn't face going over the same ground knowing what was coming. I wanted to walk round Rosemullion Head for a last look at the sea. Saturday 6th November Up before eight. It wasn't raining. Gradually the sun came out and it was to prove our best day for sunshine. We went our separate ways just before 1030; I think Frank and Daphne would rather have been coming with us? They too were a bit apprehensive and having already just done the walk were a bit reluctant. John was there when they arrived, as they'd expected him to be and he was full of his experiences filming, he was to go again Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. We parked the car at Mawnan Church, there were a couple of people preparing a bonfire and a notice said that celebrations would start at 1745 hours. We asked if it was ok to leave the car and they said perfectly ok. We put some money in the honesty box and set off across the waterlogged field, churned up by cows round a drinking trough placed near the path. We gave up and walked down the centre of the field and once passed the first fifty or so yards found firm ground again. We arrived at he beach, having both relieved ourselves and set off along the cliffs to Durgan. Arriving at Durgan there was a group of people recovering a boat. I misread the signs and took us on a wild goose chase right up into the woods. I was sure this wasn't the way we'd come last time. We struggled uphill and I went on ahead to make sure we could get on eh right path. I knew we were wrong but obeyed the sign, or my interpretation of he sign. We regained the path and passed under the footbridge at Trebah. A little further on we came to the Ferryboat Inn where we planned to have lunch. There were plenty of people around and we ordered cheese ploughman's. Sue finished of with a Belgian chocolate waffle! Next to us were a group of Conservatives, talking about their Mercs and Jags, also playing 'The Card Game' boasting about their credit cards etc. Didn't miss a trick, had Social Security cards and Senior Citizen Rail cards. They were being lectured by one of their crowd on the NHS, how the nurses and doctors no longer had any say, didn't seem to realise that it was Private Enterprise that was messing the system up, their own basic system. We helped them with some information about Glendurgan Garden and Trebah and the Coastal Paths then set off on our way back. We stopped and sat on every seat, there were quite a few of them, both of us getting more and more tired. We passed the point where we had got down to the beach and carried on round the coast path to the church yard where Sue decided that she'd had enough and went back to the car and into Mawnan Smith to do some shopping and wait for me. Without realising, parking in a position of bad reception for our mobile phones. I carried on to Rosemullion Head, stopping to relieve myself on the way and realising I'd been watched by a lady with a dog, said hello to her but she froze me out. On reaching the head I carried on walking along the coast path a little further and found the path back up to the Mienporth road. I tried to contact Sue, thinking she might come and pick me up but I couldn't get through. Never mine it wasn't too far and I found her reading a magazine outside the Spar shop she'd been into. She drove us home where Daphne and Frank had already returned. We had a snack type tea and waited for Strictly Come Dancing, by now we were ardent dance fans. Ended up watching Match of the Day and was quite late to bed. Frank had been very quiet all day? Had we upset him? Sunday 7th October Up before 0700 hours and Sue continued with the packing, which she'd started last night. We washed and had breakfast and then loaded up he car. We sat around chatting for a while and eventually pulled away from Penvean at 1015 hours. I drove the first ninety-eight miles, having to stop, because I was bursting, in a lay-by after seventy miles. We filled up with petrol at Exeter Services, Esso pumps in disguise as Moto so ended up helping George Bush's campaigns! Naughty! Sue took over the driving and drove on to Michaelwood Services where I started to drive again. We were having a good run, no delays at all, just stops to relieve ourselves. Sue had made sandwiches before we set off from Cornwall, having hers just before Exeter and I had mine as she took over. No delays and we got on to the M6 and I drove on to …… services where Sue took over and drove us to Trudie's where tea was waiting for us. Got there just in time to watch Paula's last three miles. We'd heard Bolton draw, Middlesborough scoring in injury time after Jussi had been sent off. We watched the Manchesters and then we put our photos on the TV and came home. Sue had helped bath Jaja. It was lovely to see them all again. Steven had been to our house and switched the heating on so we arrived home to a lovely warm house. Whilst we'd been away Steven had fitted a new bigger disc drive and installed a new virus programme. We have our ups and downs but we have lovely thoughtful children. Monday 8th November Back to reality but at least I don't have to go to work like Sue has, looking after me, the family and her lame ducks. Sad to think of all the places we didn't get to visit. |
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